Tapar

[DailyWord]

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for January 11, 2010

tapar (verb) — to cover, hide, veil, stop, block, cement. Look up tapar in the dictionary

Cuando llega el invierno, tapo mis plantas con una sábana, para que no se quemen con el frío.
When winter comes I cover my plants with a sheet so they won't get frostbitten.

El contador de la empresa tapa los robos del gerente, manipulando los números.
The firm's bookkeeper conceals the manager's theft by manipulating the numbers.

Las mujeres del Medio Oriente tapan su rostro.
Women in the Middle East cover their faces.

Taparon el pozo la semana pasada.
The well was cemented over last week.

No vayas por la avenida, porque está tapada.
Don't use the main avenue because it's blocked.

Esta crema no tapa los poros.
This cream doesn't clog your pores.

Tápate bien, que hace mucho frío.
Wear warm clothes because it's really cold out.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by DailyWord

Las mujeres del Medio Oriente tapan su rostro.
Women in the Middle East cover their faces.

Two questions about this particular example:
1) Why "su" and not "el"? I thought that the indefinite article is to be used for body parts, and not the personal possessive. "The face..." instead of "her/their face..." ???
2) Why singular? Why not "las mujeres del Medio Oriente tapan sus/los rostros"?

Another question about the word "tapar". Is it similar in meaning to "ocultar"? What are the subtleties in differences in their meanings and usages?

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by DailyWord

No vayas por la avenida, porque está tapada.
Don't use the main avenue because it's blocked.

¿Éste es un regionalismo? Aquí oígo más "cortada" (o "tancat", pero eso es valencià ).

Originally Posted by laepelba

Another question about the word "tapar". Is it similar in meaning to "ocultar"? What are the subtleties in differences in their meanings and usages?

I think of "tapar" primarily as "to cover", "to put a lid on", or "to plug".

[CrOtALiTo]

I didn't know that the word Cover means tapar.

Then can I say this.

I covered my car because was raining.

I cover my juice because there are a lot dust in the street.


I will appreciate the support gave here in the forums.

Please you correcting me if you have time.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

I didn't know that the word Cover means tapar.

Then can I say this.

I covered my car because it was raining (out). (The "out" is optional, but is something you'd hear quite often.)

I cover my juice because there is a lot of dust in the street.


I will appreciate the support given here in the forums.

Please you correcting me if you have time.

Corrections in red.

Originally Posted by pjt33

I think of "tapar" primarily as "to cover", "to put a lid on", or "to plug".

And how about ocultar?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

I covered my car because was raining.

I cover my juice because there are a lot dust in the street.


I will appreciate the support gave given here in the forums.

Please you correcting correct me if you have time.

Edit: oops there is a lot of dust

Originally Posted by laepelba

And how about ocultar?

I think there is an overlap between them, but ocultar can also mean to conceal:

tras esa sonrisa se oculta una mala intención

whereas tapar just means to cover up physically.

Edit: if you wanted to cover your car up to protect it from rain and dust, you would use tapar. If you wanted to hide it from thieves, you would use ocultar

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I think there is an overlap between them, but ocultar can also mean to conceal:

tras esa sonrisa se oculta una mala intención

whereas tapar just means to cover up physically.

Edit: if you wanted to cover your car up to protect it from rain and dust, you would use tapar. If you wanted to hide it from thieves, you would use ocultar

That last part helped me with the subtle difference. Thanks!

Originally Posted by laepelba

Two questions about this particular example:
1) Why "su" and not "el"? I thought that the indefinite article is to be used for body parts, and not the personal possessive. "The face..." instead of "her/their face..." ???
2) Why singular? Why not "las mujeres del Medio Oriente tapan sus/los rostros"?

How about my other questions?

(By the way, I don't necessarily agree with your "" for Crotalito's sentences... Sorry. )

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

(By the way, I don't necessarily agree with your "" for Crotalito's sentences... Sorry. )

I really don't mind - what's the problem?

As for your other questions, which I thought were very good ones, I'm waiting for a Spanish speaker to answer.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I really don't mind - what's the problem?

See my corrections (two above yours)....

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

See my corrections (two above yours)....

Hey you're right - I never noticed the missing it. But I've never heard that use of out.

[laepelba]

Yeah, we'd say "it's raining out" or "it's snowing out" or "it's sunny out" or "it's cloudy out". I think it's probably a useless phrase, given that it had better NOT be raining INSIDE my house (!!), but definitely something that is said frequently.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Two questions about this particular example:
1) Why "su" and not "el"? I thought that the indefinite article is to be used for body parts, and not the personal possessive. "The face..." instead of "her/their face..." ???
2) Why singular? Why not "las mujeres del Medio Oriente tapan sus/los rostros"?

Another question about the word "tapar". Is it similar in meaning to "ocultar"? What are the subtleties in differences in their meanings and usages?

Remember the table I did. There you'll find your asnwer.

[laepelba]

The table you did about "mi misma", etc.? Here: http://forums.tomisimo.org/showpost....63&postcount=8 ???

Originally Posted by laepelba

Two questions about this particular example:
1) Why "su" and not "el"? I thought that the indefinite article is to be used for body parts, and not the personal possessive. "The face..." instead of "her/their face..." ???
2) Why singular? Why not "las mujeres del Medio Oriente tapan sus/los rostros"?

Originally Posted by chileno

Remember the table I did. There you'll find your asnwer.

Originally Posted by laepelba

The table you did about "mi misma", etc.? Here: http://forums.tomisimo.org/showpost....63&postcount=8 ???

Huh? I don't see what any of the possessive articles have to do with the fact that I thought that body parts were not supposed to use possessive articles, but definite articles.

Isn't it supposed to be: Me duele la boca. (In English, we say "MY mouth hurts") I thought that it was always impersonal when talking about parts of the body. Where is the answer to that in your chart?

And the same with the question about singular vs. plural. I don't know what I'm supposed to be looking at in your chart to find the answer to that.

Now I'm even more confused.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Lou Ann:

Maybe someone can give a good grammar explanation for this, but this is how we say the same thing:

Las mujeres en Medio Oriente se tapan el rostro.

Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan su rostro. = Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan sus rostros.
(You don't have to refer to each one of their faces, but it's the same meaning if you do.)

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Now I'm even more confused.

Sorry. I did not read thoroughly. Angelica answered this already.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Corrections in red.



And how about ocultar?

Thank you for the support.

I covered my car because it was raining out.

I will cover my computer because there is a lot dust in the street.


I appreciate your support.

[bobjenkins]

Hola,

No tapes la salida porque la gente tiene que escapar en caso de un fuego inicia

Tapáis la fuga ahora , ¡vamos a naufragar!

Tapa la comida , se pondrá podrida

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Originally Posted by bobjenkins

Hola,

No tapes la salida porque la gente tiene que poder escapar en caso de un fuego inicia incendio. (Or "...en caso de que se inicie un incendio.")

Tapáis Tapad la fuga ahora , ¡vamos a naufragar!

Tapa la comida , se pondrá podrida va a pudrir (Or "se va a echar a perder)

Good work, Bob.

Corrections above.

[bobjenkins]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

Good work, Bob.

Corrections above.

Muchas gracias!

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

Thank you for the support.

I covered my car because it was raining out.

I will cover my computer because there is a lot of dust in the street.

I appreciate your support.

No problem, Crotalito. Don't forget the "of" after "a lot" (see above).

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

@Lou Ann:

Maybe someone can give a good grammar explanation for this, but this is how we say the same thing:

Las mujeres en Medio Oriente se tapan el rostro.

Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan su rostro. = Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan sus rostros.
(You don't have to refer to each one of their faces, but it's the same meaning if you do.)

Thanks, Malila. So is it the sense of the passive voice vs. the active voice? Así:

"Las mujeres en Medio Oriente se tapan el rostro" is roughly like saying "The faces of [...] are covered." (More passive...)

"Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan su rostro. = Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan sus rostros" is roughly like saying "[...] cover their faces."

??